1. Field of the Invention
The present invention a film transporting apparatus for a film processing system and a film processing system using the apparatus, and more particularly to a film transporting apparatus including a pair of frame members pivotably connected to each other to be opened and closed, transport means provided to each of the frame members, a light emitting portion provided in one of the frame members, a light receiving portion provided in the other frame member and constituting an optical sensor together with the light emitting portion and positioning engaging portions provided respectively to the frame members and coming into engagement with each other in association with a pivotal movement of the frame members to a closed state, and the invention relates also to a film processing system using a film transporting apparatus of the above-described type.
2. Description of the Related Art
With the above film transporting apparatus, as used in a film processing system such as a photographic printing system for printing an image recorded on a film onto a print paper, the apparatus functions to transport the film while detecting film image information such as a DX code identifying a type of the film, or a position of a perforation by means of a light-transmission type optical sensor.
A typical conventional construction of a film transporting apparatus is shown in FIGS. 41 and 42. In this, in order to facilitate e.g. a cleaning operation of a film transport passage, a pair of frame members 100, 101 are pivotably interconnected to each other to be opened and closed. These frame members 100, 101 respectively include guides 100a, 101a acting as transport means. Then, as illustrated in FIG. 42, the film is transported when the pair of frame members 100, 101 are closed.
The frame members 100, 101 respectively include either a light emitting portion 102a or a light receiving portion 102b of an optical sensor 102 for detecting film information. When the frame members 100, 101 are closed, the light emitting portion 102a and the light receiving portion 102b together constituting the optical sensor and disposed in opposition other must be precisely fixed in position relative to each other.
In this respect, when the frame members 100, 101 are closed, positioning engaging portions 103a, 103b come into engagement with each other to effect the above-described positioning. However, since the frame members 100, 101 are pivoted relative to each other to be opened and closed, in order to prevent the positioning engaging portions 103a, 103b from being locked to each other in the middle of the pivotal stroke, the engaging portions are provided with some dimensional play as shown in FIG. 42 (in particular, the engaging portions 103a comprising recesses are formed slightly larger than the other engaging portions 103b comprising projections).
Accordingly, since the frame members 100, 101 may be displaced slightly relative to each other, such displacement leads to mutual displacement of the light emitting and receiving portions 102a, 102b of the optical sensor 102 as well.
With occurrence of such displacement, there occurs reduction in the amount of light to be received by the light receiving portion 102b. Then, adjustment of a processing circuit for processing an output signal from the light receiving portion must be adjusted. Alternatively, after the closure of the frame members 100, 101, the positions of these frame members 100, 101 must be adjusted relative to each other with monitoring the output signal from the light receiving portion 102b. As a result, maintenance and handling of this film transporting apparatus tends to be troublesome.
Regarding to the above-described problem, in place of those shapes shown in FIG. 41, the positioning engaging portions 103a, 103b may be shaped differently, such as arcuate configurations precisely following the pivotal path of the frame members 100, 101, thereby to reduce the dimensional play between the positioning engaging portions 103a, 103b. However, it requires a technical skill of great precision to form the positioning engaging portions 103a, 103b of such shapes in the pair of frame members 100, 101. Hence, the manufacture of the members tends to be troublesome and costly.
The present invention attends to the above-described state of the art. A primary object of the present invention is to provide an improved film transporting apparatus which allows easier manufacture and positioning and a film processing system using this film transporting apparatus.